Preparing for a job interview: walk in with confidence

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Job interview: nerve-wracking, but more predictable than you think

Sweaty palms before a job interview are completely normal. What fewer people realise is that if you think logically, you can anticipate around 90% of the questions you'll be asked. "Tell me a bit about yourself." "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" "Why do you want this job?" These aren't surprises — they're standard parts of almost every interview.

So the question isn't whether you'll get these questions, but whether you're ready for them.

Your preparation in 4 steps

1. Know the vacancy and the company. Read the job advert again, note which competencies keep coming up, and look at the company's website and recent news. This is the source of almost every question you'll be asked.
2. Build your success stories. Think of three situations where you achieved a concrete result. Use them to answer a range of questions — from "tell me about a challenge" to "what are you proud of".
3. Prepare your own questions. An interview works both ways. Questions about growth opportunities, team culture or day-to-day tasks show genuine interest. Save salary and employment conditions for a later conversation — that usually doesn't belong in round one.
4. Practise out loud. In front of the mirror, with a friend, or in the car. Answers you've only formulated in your head sound different once spoken aloud.

The classic slip-ups

Arriving late. Speaking negatively about your previous employer. Your phone going off. Falling silent too often because you didn't know what to say. These aren't dramatic mistakes on their own, but they add up — and are all avoidable with five extra minutes of preparation.

Video interviews have become the norm

A first round via video call is now completely standard. Check your lighting, camera angle and internet connection beforehand. Nothing is more frustrating than a strong answer cutting out due to a shaky connection — while your interviewer thinks you simply didn't have a response.

One thing you shouldn't forget

Your CV is your cheat sheet during the interview: the interviewer has it in front of them and asks questions based on it. Make sure it's accurate, up to date, and tailored to the role you're interviewing for — not the version you used two years ago for a completely different job. With the CV-Refresher, you upload your current CV and within a few minutes you'll have an up-to-date, polished version that fits seamlessly with the conversation you're about to have.

Refresh your CV before the interview →

In short

• Around 90% of the questions asked can be predicted with logical thinking.
• Prepare three concrete success stories you can use flexibly.
• Ask questions yourself too — it's a conversation, not an interrogation.
• Save salary and employment condition questions for a later stage.